Hinge



May 24, 1960 R. E. DE voRE t 2937,1.:99

HINGE Filed 00t- 14, 1957 INVENroR.

United States PatentflO 2337,39i HINGE Filed oct. 14, 1957, ser. No. 690,072

z Claims. (cl. 16-169) This invention is a hinge in which the pin cannot be removed when the door is closed, but can be freely removed at all other times. This is a safety feature preventing'removal of a locked door by removing the hinge pins. A further advantage is that the pin does not rise or creep upward because if the pin should rise, it would be cammed down each time the door was closed.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a front view of the hinge, Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is similar view with the hinge closed, Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a modification. Fig. 5 is a view showing the locking action.

The hinge has leaves 1 and 2 with knuckles 3 and 4 along adjacent edges of the leaves. The knuckles 3 and 4 are arranged in interleaved relation and have aligned bores 5 for receiving a hinge pin 6 having a head 7 which normally rests on the uppermost knuckle of the hinge leaf 1. The parts so far described are or may be of common construction.

When the hinges are installed upon outwardly opening doors, the hinge pins 6 will be on the outside of the door and even though the door is locked, the door may be removed by knockng out the hinge pins. Arrangements have been suggested for preventing such unwanted removal of the hinge pins but due 'to the limited space available it has been diflicult to provide a satisfactory constructon which would have adequate strength and would be simple enough so that it could be manufactured economically. This object is accomplished in the present construction by drilling a hole 8 through one of the hinge knuckles, for example the hinge knuckle 9 in the leaf 1. The hole 8 is of substantially greater diameter than the thickness of the metal forming the hinge knuckle and is drilled adjacent the body of the leaf 1 so that the outer end of the hole in the closed position of the hinge will be blocked by the edge 10 of the hinge leaf 2. The hole 8 receives a ball or similar round looking member 11 which in its innermost position is received in a groove 12 in the hinge pin 6 which provides axiallyspaced shoulders 13 and 14 cooperating with the ball. The depth of the groove 12 is related to the diameter of the ball so that in the closed position of the hinge the edge 10 of the hinge leaf 2 holds the ball solidly in the groove. This provides a looking arrangement of great strength because the interengaging surfaces of the pin and ball are of such large diameter |that it is impossible to shear the ball and remove the hinge pin. So long as the hinge is in the colsed position, the hinge pin is positively locked in place. As soon as the hinge is swung away from the closed position so that the edge 10 no longer blocks the outer end of the hole 8, the ball 11 is free to move outward clear of the groove 12 in the hinge pin and the hinge pin can be readily removed as in any loose pin hinge. The looking action accordingly only comes into play when the door is closed and the locking action is needed. At all other times the locking action is not present and the hinge can be installed and used in the same manner as a standard hinge. V

' When the hinge pin 6 is removed, it is important that the ball 11 be kept from falling into the bore of the knuckle 9. This may be accomplished by 'drilling the hole 8 part way through the knuckle 9 so that at the inner end of the hole there will be an annular shoulder 15 which will prevent inward movement of the ball out of the hole 8. It is relatively easy to drill holes part way through a surface and to provide the shoulder 15. Another way of accomplishing the same result is shown in Fig. 4 where the hole 8a is drilled so that it intersects the inner surface 16 of the hinge knuckle 9. This provide a ball retainng shoulder 17 at 'the bottom of the hole.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 4 requires less precisc' control over the depth of drlling. It is also important that the ball 11 be retained in the hole 8 when the hinge is in the open position. This is accomplished by a projection 18 on the hinge leaf 1 which blocks the outward cient to clear the outside of the pin 6 in the open position of the hinge and can move inward suflicient to enter the grooveV 12 in the closed position of the hinge.

In addition to locking the hinge pin in the closed position of the hinge, the construction also eliminates upward creeping of the hinge pin. This `creeping or rising of the hinge pin has been a problem for many years. The rising apparently is due to slight misalgnment of the hinge leaves which causes the pin to creep upward as the door is opened and closed. The upward movement is slight but the cumulative effect over a long period of time is substantial. In the present construction, if there should be any rsing of the hinge pin 6, each time the door is.

closed the hinge pin would be cammed downward as the ball 11 was seated in the groove 12.

ly evident from Fig. 5 where it can be seen that if the hinge pin 6 were elevated slightly the engagement of the ball 11 with the lower shoulder 13 would inherently depress the pin as the ball 11 was forced into the groove 12.

What is claimed as new is:

l. In a hinge, a pair of hinge leaves with knuckles outi of the hole intersecting the boreof the knuckle and with its outer end in position to be blocked by the edge of the other leaf in the closed position of the hinge, a ball within the hole of diameter greater than the metal thickness of the knuckle and having its outer part blocked by the edge of said other leaf in the closed position of'the' hinge and its inner part then received in said groove in position to cooperate with one of said shoulders to lock 'the pin against removal, a shoulder at the inner end of the hole blocking inward movement of the ball into the bore and retainng the ball within the hole When the pin is removed, a projection on said one leaf outside the outer end of the hole and spaced from said knuckle and blocking movement of the ball out of the opening to rc' v Patented` May 24, 1960 This action is cleartin4` the hl in said' opening in the open position of the hinge, said projection being spaced to permit move' 2. The hinge of clam 1 in which the opening is driiled-V through saidknuckIe-to intersect the inner surface of the knuckle so' the bottom of the hoie provides the ball retaining' shoulder at the' inner end of'thef opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED sTATEs PATEN'rs Tech May 18, 1915 Trinkaus June 8, 1915 Rowe Apr. 18, 1916 Lamothe et al. Dec. 6, 1938 Rieger ....V V..- Mar. 21, 1950 Riser Dec. 4, 1956 

